1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a solid oxide fuel cell device and method for manufacturing the same, and in particular to a solid oxide fuel cell device and method for manufacturing the same comprising a current collector electrically connecting a plurality of individual fuel cells housed in a fuel cell module.
2. Description of the Related Art
A solid oxide fuel cell (“SOFC” below) device is a fuel cell device which operates at a relatively high temperature in which, using an oxide ion conducting solid electrolyte as an electrolyte, with electrodes attached to both sides thereof, fuel gas is supplied to one side and oxidizer gas (air, oxygen, or the like) is supplied to the other side.
The solid oxide fuel cell device houses, within a fuel cell module, a cell array formed of a plurality of individual fuel cells (cell tubes). In this cell array, the plurality of individual fuel cells are electrically interconnected by a current collector. For example, in the fuel cell device set forth in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application 2008-71711 (Patent Document 1), the top ends and bottom ends of the plurality of individual fuel cells are respectively inserted into holes in electrically insulating support plates and affixed to the support plates using an electrically conductive seal material. Furthermore, connections are made using a connecting member between top end portions and between bottom end portions of adjacent individual fuel cells, mediated by an electrically conductive seal material.
In the fuel cell device set forth in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application 2008-218005 (Patent Document 2), the top end portions and bottom end portions of a large number of individual fuel cells are electrically interconnected using 3 current collectors.
3. Prior Art References—Patent Citations
Patent Document 1: Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application 2008-71711
Patent Document 2: Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application 2008-218005